


More Equal Than Others

by Paper_Crane_Song



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Episode Related, Episode Remix, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rogue Planet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-11 20:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17453948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paper_Crane_Song/pseuds/Paper_Crane_Song
Summary: During the Eska’s hunting expedition, Malcolm is attacked and left behind. An episode remix of season 1’sRogue Planet





	More Equal Than Others

**Author's Note:**

> In the episode _Rogue Planet_ , Malcolm joins the Eska hunting expedition, ostensibly to hunt drayjin, though actually the Eska are hunting a sentient species they call ‘wraiths’. One of the hunters ends up being attacked and badly injured. When I saw this episode I was like, “Wow, that was lucky Malcolm didn’t get attacked too.” And then - “Hmm, what if he did?” 
> 
> This story is also foreshadowing for the season 3 episode _Damage_ where Archer tries to justify stealing the Illyrian warp coil, because I am still fascinated by how season 1 Archer becomes season 3 Archer.
> 
> I enjoyed tackling this story, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

**Archer**

They burst into the clearing, where the injured man – Burzaan – was screaming. 

“What happened?” Archer said, rounding on the huddle.

“Drayjin attack,” Damrus snapped, as Burzaan bucked and writhed in agony under his attempted ministrations.

“Wait, where’s Malcolm?” Trip said, coming to stand beside Archer.

Damrus and Shiraht exchanged glances, and Archer caught their look.

“Damrus?”

“We were following another trail. When we heard weapon fire we returned but there was no sign of your officer.”

“What, so you just left him out there?” Tucker said, taking a step forward. Archer put a warning hand on his shoulder, though in truth he wanted to react the same way.

“We didn’t have a choice, ” Shiraht said, and then Burzaan let out another scream, limbs flailing. Damrus said, “Captain, please,” making it clear that their questions were unwelcome.

“Should we inform Doctor Phlox?” T’Pol said quietly at his side.

“Do it.”

Then Archer addressed Damrus. “My first officer will escort your men back to Enterprise. Our doctor will be waiting for you.”

Damrus nodded stiffly.

“In the meantime, you’re going to help us find Lieutenant Reed."

* * *

They set off through the undergrowth, Archer, Trip and Damrus, retracing the expedition’s steps. It was like Terra Nova all over again, the same sick, helpless, frantic feeling.

He had a hard time putting his finger on what it was about his taciturn lieutenant that inspired such protectiveness. Perhaps it was Malcolm’s vulnerability; it was less obvious than other crew members - Hoshi, for example - but there was a vulnerability about him nonetheless. Malcolm would never ask for help; not out of pride, but because he genuinely did not seem to think he was worth the effort.

“All your fancy equipment and you couldn’t find him?” Trip was saying.

“You saw the condition Burzaan was in. We needed to get him back to camp as quickly as possible. We made a sweep of the area, but - ”

“So what do you think happened to him?”

Damrus paused. “Maybe he ran.”

“Uh uh,” Trip said, shaking his head, “Malcolm wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t leave an injured man behind. Right, Captain?” Without waiting for a response, Trip continued, “Could the drayjin have taken him somewhere? Like into a cave, the way a bear would on our planet?”

“It’s doubtful. Drayjin act defensively; it wouldn’t be their typical behaviour. Although there are other predators in these woods that might do such a thing. Fire wolves, for example.

“Fire wolves...” Trip rested a hand on his phase pistol. 

Archer remained quiet, his mouth a grim line. His silence was obviously unsettling Damrus, for the other man made an effort to engage him.

“I regret what happened Captain, but your Lieutenant Reed knew the risks.”

And there it was again, that subtle use of the word _your_. Archer berated himself for assuming that because Malcolm was part of the Eska expedition then Damrus would look after him. But it was obvious now that Damrus had a hierarchy, where his men came first.

That was the difference between them. In Archer’s eyes they were all equal, irrespective of race – and he knew, had the situation been reversed, that his crew would have laid down their lives to ensure the Eskas’ safety.

“Let’s pick up the pace,” he said, ignoring Damrus’s words.

Damrus’s tone was softer now. “It’s been hours now. You realise he may already be dead - ”

“Then we’ll find his body.” His jaw hurt from clenching. “Either way, I’m not leaving here without him.”

* * *

By the time Damrus held up his hand, they were all breathing hard from their fight through the dense branches and bushes.

“This is where we found Burzaan,” Damrus said, pointing to a depression in the foliage.

“Malcolm?” Archer called. There was no answer. He tried again. “Malcolm?”

“Anything?” he said to Trip, who was scanning the area.

Trip shook his head. “Damn thermals interfering with the sensors. He could be ten metres away and they wouldn't detect him.”

“Then we use our eyes. Fan out. Look for broken branches, fur.”

They scoured the undergrowth, sweeping the area with their flashlights, shouting Malcolm’s name all the while. Then Damrus said, “Captain Archer,” calling them over. “See how the leaves are flattened here; I believe this is the way your Lieutenant went.”

“You couldn’t have found this the first time round?” Tucker said heatedly.

“Save it, Trip,” Archer said, shouldering past to see for himself. “Can you track him?”

“Yes,” Damrus answered. “The blood will help.” And his flashlight shone upon the dark stains and Archer’s mouth went dry.

* * *

“I wouldn’t have expected him to make it this far,” Damrus commented as he knelt once more to examine the ground.

“You don’t know Malcolm,” Trip said, pride evident in his voice. 

“We’re headed in the direction of the camp, aren’t we?” Archer said, checking his tricorder.

“Guess he’s trying to make it back on his own steam,” Trip said.

“We’ll find him near here,” Damrus said, standing again.

“How can you be sure?” Archer said.

“This is where he started to crawl.”

* * *

They found him lying twenty metres away, face down and still.

“Careful,” Archer said as Trip kneeled down to turn him over, supporting his upper body and lifting him off the damp ground. “Can you tell where he’s injured?” Malcolm’s uniform was torn, slick with blood or dirt; it all looked the same in the darkness.

As Trip examined him, Archer put a hand on Malcolm’s cheek, patted it gently. “Malcolm, can you hear me?”

“He’s in a bad way,” Damrus said, shining his light on Malcolm’s face, “see how he sweats? And his skin was not this colour before.”

“Looks like that son of a bitch tore a chunk out of him,” Trip said then, attempting to roll up Malcolm’s shirt to uncover his side.

“Leave it,” Damrus said, “you’ll only disturb the wound further. I’ve seen these kind of injuries many times, you can do nothing for him here. We must take him back to camp immediately.”

“If you’d done that in the first place,” Trip said, anger flaring –

Malcolm came to then with a gasp, trying to raise his forearm in front of his face as if warding off an attack.

“Easy, Malcolm,” Archer said, gripping his shoulder tightly, as much to restrain him as to offer reassurance. “The drayjin’s gone. We’ve got you.”

Malcolm was panting for air. “No,” he cried hoarsely, shaking his head and now Archer had to use both hands to keep him still. “Burzaan - it wasn’t - “

“Calm down,” Trip said, clearly disturbed by Malcolm’s distress, “we’ll have you back on Enterprise in no time.“

“Wasn’t a drayjin - “

Before Archer could react, Damrus said, “We’re wasting time,” speaking over him, “We need to leave.”

Putting aside his questions for now, Archer said, “Trip,” and together they lifted Malcolm up, as carefully as they could even though the shocking sounds Malcolm was making said otherwise, and by the time they’d arranged him over Archer’s shoulders he was unconscious again.

Damrus stood watching them impatiently, and something in Archer snapped. “I know there’s something you’re not telling us,” he said in contained fury.

Damrus looked at him, clearly thought better than to argue, and gestured, “This way.”

Archer readjusted his grip on Malcolm’s arms and legs, his face dark, and followed him into the undergrowth with Trip bringing up the rear.

* * *

Base camp - the shuttle ride -  Phlox’s face, uncharacteristically stern - Malcolm remained unconscious throughout, so much so that at times Archer was sure Malcolm had bled to death on his shoulders, slipping quietly away without any trouble.

As Enterprise left orbit, the melancholy lines of the poem he’d recited to Trip stayed with him, as well as a lingering sense of futility concerning the future of the wraiths. So when Phlox informed him that Malcolm was once again conscious and out of danger, it was a welcome distraction.

On entering sickbay he was greeted by the sight of Malcolm lying propped upright on the biobed, pale, bandaged, but very much alive.

“Lieutenant, you’re looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.”

“We have my eels to thank for that,” Phlox said cheerily from the other side of the bay. “It’s a wonder what a blood transfusion and a little eel venom can do.”

Malcolm turned a shade paler, and Archer quickly cut Phlox short. “How are you feeling?”

“Not bad sir, all things considered." He was holding himself tightly, and winced as he shifted position.

“Here,” Archer said, reaching for him automatically, but Malcolm shook his head, declining his assistance, and Archer stepped back.

There was an awkward pause.

Then Malcolm said, “Commander Tucker told me what happened. Thank you for coming back for me.“

“Lucky for you I already earned my wilderness badge in tracking.” He smiled, trying to put Malcolm at ease. But there was no answering smile.

“Something on your mind, Malcolm?”

“No sir,” Malcolm replied, too quickly.

But Archer knew him well enough by now to wait him out.

Sure enough, Malcolm said, “It’s just - the situation down there was dangerous. Extremely so, if Commander Tucker’s account is to be believed.”

He hesitated again, and Archer said, “Go on,” although he could guess where Malcolm was headed.

“I’m not sure how necessary it was for the ship’s captain to personally oversee a rescue mission - “

“It was necessary,” Archer said firmly. “When it’s a member of my crew, it will always be necessary.”

“Yes sir,” Malcolm said, though his expression said otherwise.

Archer clapped him on the shoulder. “Get some rest, Lieutenant. The bridge needs its chief tactical officer back.” And finally, he was rewarded with a real smile.

As he left sickbay, he realised he’d just set a precedent. No wonder Malcolm looked so worried. But surely as the Captain it was his prerogative to rescue his crew. As precedents went, it wasn’t a bad one. 

But for some reason he was reminded of Damrus, of his own unapologetic rescue of his man over Archer’s. Damrus would probably say that was necessary too.

He frowned. Unlike Damrus, his devotion to his crew did not come at the expense of others.

 _And if you ever had to choose?_ said a voice that sounded suspiciously like Malcolm’s.

It was troubling that he did not have an answer.

 

_Finis_


End file.
